Wrong Turns

Some rides I can’t wait to get home after taking care of Tarma, shower and share the photos for all my friends to see. Other rides never get shared, for reasons ranging from a tad too short to too much time passing and life happenings. Others, like yesterday’s, I’m compelled to share, but only after […]

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Moments in the Mountains

Now that I’m home and showered, time for my favorite thing: a trip report! The short version: a magical and relaxing time in the mountains with a good friend. More below the photo dump! We were planning to go to Whitefish horse camp, father south, as I was hungry for those epic mountain views and […]

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Whiplash

The alternative title for today’s post is “WTF?” Was Mercury in Pluto or something? I’m so confused why today went so off the rails…and yet we were all able to enjoy a lovely ride anyway. It really all started because I’m a dumb human with smart animals. I have a routine on weekend ride days, […]

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Soulscape

In the series of books I’m named for (The God Stalker Chronicles, by PC Hodgell), a major plot point is something called “the soulscape”. This is a weird dimension the reflects an individual’s soul, such as a garden, a walled keep, something that sits at the deepest level of the character’s psyche, and the race […]

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The Bonk

Not every ride will be scenic and beautiful and easy. Not every ride will have excitement or breakthroughs or wonderful rights. Some rides you just put in the work, the solid butt building miles, and call it a day. Today was that day. My only goal was at least 10 miles, done slowly as we […]

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Miles to go

I took a chance on the weather again and won, again. I’ve noticed that Tarma is much more agreeable if she’s had some turnout before I ride, which means I don’t have to be an early bird. This is fine by me, though something we’ll have to deal with for both the John Wayne ride […]

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We survived!

Why do the wildest things sometimes happen with no witnesses? And no video to prove it? Welp, today’s ride was a tad wilder than I hoped for, but both Tarma and I survived together, somehow. My main goal for the day was just miles, in whatever fashion Tarma was up for. She let me walk […]

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Conversations with Bernard

The ground didn’t feel right for a horse today with our recent freeze/thaw temperatures, even with boots, so I skipped hauling out to ride. I wanted to practice going to see Tarma in her field without bringing her up for work. She was puzzled when I walked up, haltered her, treated her, and walked away […]

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First day, first ride

As I sat in my truck, waiting for the big diesel engine to warm up enough to haul to the barn, I hmmed and haaad and made a decision. I balanced the training and time I’ve spent with Tarma over the past year, how she’s been on our past few rides, and Benny’s training level […]

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Tarmageddon

On some days Tarma is sweet and smart and relatively chill, riding out on the buckle and easy. Today she had a different feeling, so my friend called her Tarmageddon and it fits. Even when she’s at her worst, just not checked in or throwing shade, it never feels dangerous, just a different shade of […]

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